The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Dhalia, botanically known as Dahlia variabilis, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Goalia Rossa’. The new cultivar originated from a hybridization made in June 1999 in Andijk, The Netherlands. The female parent was the bronze-yellow-flowered Dhalia proprietary line ‘DT-79-1’ (unpatented), and the male parent was the orange-flowered Dhalia proprietary line ‘DU-43-1’ (unpatented). The seeds produced by the hybridization were sown in February 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands. A single plant selection was chosen for further evaluation and for asexual propagation in May 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands.
The new cultivar was created in 1999 in Andijk, The Netherlands and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissue culture in Andijk, The Netherlands, and Gilroy, Calif. over a five-year period. The plant has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif. Michigan, Andijk, The Netherlands and Hillscheid, Germany. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in the European Union on Jun. 19, 2006 and in Canada on Oct. 3, 2006. ‘Goalia Rossa’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to filing of this application.